Through the Flames
by BLACKxDOVE
Summary: After the curse is broken Regina goes into hiding; no one seeing her for weeks. Strangely worried about the other woman, Emma tracks down a cabin deep in the woods where the mayor is hiding and goes to check up on her. But Regina notices she's there and invites Emma for a drink. Sparks fly between the two women and it turns into a completely different kind of visit.


**Through the Flames  
**_Written by BLACKxDOVE_

* * *

The brakes in the beat-up, yellow bug screech to a halt as the blonde realizes that she has nearly missed the small break between trees. Easing the car to the side of the street, Emma removes her keys from the ignition and takes a deep breath; holding it in her lungs as it eases through her bloodstream. Finally exhaling, the blonde shoves the keys into the pocket of her leather jacket and pushes the door open, stepping out onto the street. Shivering from the strange, unwarranted feeling that rumbles in her stomach, Emma jogs into the forest and follows the small, uneven path. As she skitters across upturned roots and large rocks, the blonde can't help but pick up her speed as worry begins to weigh down heavily on her heart. Surely if the dark haired woman were safe she would have at least tried to make some contact with Henry. And yet, as the weeks pressed by with rising tension and unresolved anger—after all, the majority of the Storybrooke citizens wanted Regina's head severed from her neck—the brunette had never tried to see him. It was nothing like the controlling woman Emma has grown to know, and for some unusual reason it terrifies the blonde—makes her body shake and her blood run cold at the idea of Regina being dead.

Breaking into a frantic run, Emma darts through the trees as she races deeper and deeper into the woods. Before she had come to Storybrooke the blonde had been a bail bondsperson, and a damned good one if she did say so herself; Emma wasn't great, or even good at much but she could find anyone she set her mind on—and tonight her mind was fully and completely consumed by her son's mother. Shaking away the thoughts that pound inside her brain, the blonde skids to a stop as she notices a dull light shining through the trees. Taking hesitant steps closer, Emma's green eyes catch the outline of a woman's body as she sits beside a fire. And as she tip-toes further the blonde can't help the flood of relief that washes over her when her gaze takes in Regina's profile illuminated by the flames and the moon.

Sighing in ease, Emma leans against the trunk of a maple tree as she leisurely watches the dark haired woman. Regina sits on a log beside the campfire, a wine glass filled to the brim is held between her fingers as she stares into the licking flames absently. After a couple of moments the blonde tries to pull herself away and back to her car so that she can go home and rest peacefully. But, she can't seem to move as her eyes cling to the brunette with a burning fervor that Emma can't remember ever feeling before. She should be sated, she should be thankful that she has found Regina alive and breathing—seemingly content—but a dull pang echoes in her heart and the blonde just can't force herself to leave. Although, as she gives up the fight within her, Emma would never acknowledge the truth that radiates inside of her: she misses the dark haired woman more than she can bear, more than she has ever missed anyone in her entire life. The confession startles the blonde, and she grips onto the tree's bark persistently; she's suppose to hate this woman for what she has done—how she has ruined her life and pulled her into a miserable existence without loving parents—and yet Emma can't, she can't hate Regina. As she mulls over the reasons why she can't, the blonde unconsciously takes another step forward and her boot crunches against a broken twig; the sound exploding through the silence.

"I know you're there, Ms. Swan…" the brunette clips evenly as she takes a sip of red wine, "…you can come out of hiding."

"How…" as Emma stumbles into the small clearing she struggles with trying to get her tongue to form words properly, "…how did you know—know it was me?"

"Have you failed to notice that I know _everything_ that goes on here?" Regina turns her head to the side so she can look at her visitor while a snide smirk coats her full lips. The blonde bristles and grits her teeth as she wonders why she missed the woman to begin with. "Not to mention your monstrosity of a car can be heard from miles away, dear. You may want to get it looked at."

"Thanks for the tip."

Tossing the sarcastic pleasantry at the brunette, Emma turns to leave the way she has come; wondering, as she starts back into the trees, why she had ever thought that her reunion with Regina would be anything but an annoyingly long waste of time. Scoffing to herself, Emma continues her steps in leisure but once her boots touch back within the trees she hears soft footsteps behind her and she picks up her pace. But Regina is on her trail like a cat chasing a mouse and before she knows it the brunette is walking directly behind her. It isn't until she feels long, slender fingers wrap around her arm lightly that the blonde stops moving.

"Oh no," Regina starts as she spins the woman around to face her, "you're not getting away from this that easily."

"This?" Emma questions as she raises a curious eyebrow.

"Yes _this_," the brunette emphasizes by widening her eyes and gesturing her free hand towards the cabin, "why did you come here?"

"Well, I am the _Savior_," the blonde says, pushing out her new found title with a sense of bitterness, "so I'm here to—"

"—kill me?" Regina interrupts, digging her fingernails into the red leather roughly.

"Hey!" Emma exclaims as she thrusts her arm away from the painful, vice-like grip. "Jesus, Regina—no, I came here to see if you were okay…"

"Oh, how noble." The dark woman spits as she invades the blonde's personal space, and Emma can't help the small smile that forms on her lips at the realization that some things never change. "However can I reward your heroism?"

"Your bitchiness is thanks enough, your Majesty." The blonde grins further as she notices the fire that begins to blaze in Regina's dark eyes at her choice of words.

Although, Emma knows that it would bring her a sick form of amusement to continue her and the brunette's bickering and glaring—it seems to leave a bittersweet taste in her mouth. Nodding her head as if to visualize the finality of her visit, the blonde takes a small step back and then heads further into the forest. She did what she had come to do; Emma had seen that the other woman was safe, and still as snarky and forceful as hell—and yet it felt as though something were missing, as if there should have been more of…something. Sighing, the blonde ran a hand over her face as a way to soothe her thoughts, and she was just getting her mind to focus when that voice caressed her ears. That stupid, richly seductive voice that never ceased to send tremors down Emma's spine—and she was so close to leaving, even closer than last time. And yet, as she took her final step before turning around the blonde was well aware that no matter how hard she fought with her body to listen to her brain it would always betray her when it came to that voice.

"Wait…" the brunette commands, and yet her voice is softer and more gentle than usual, "…why not stay…for a bit?"

"_You_…are inviting me to _stay_?" Emma questions with a laugh as she walks back over to the other woman, smirking in amusement. "Oh, this is rich."

"I'm inviting you for a drink, Ms. Swan," Regina corrects as she brushes past the blonde and back towards the cabin, "_one_ drink."

"Uh huh…" Emma nods as she tries to refrain from letting giggles bubble from her throat, "…right."

"Besides, I would just love to hear about how everyone is seeking my death while their Savior stops by for a chat. It's just fascinating."

Laughing at the brunette's comment that drips with sarcasm and an edge of smarm, Emma follows the other woman into the clearing and beside the fire. Plopping down on the log opposite the one that Regina had been sitting on several moments before, the blonde stretches out her legs and leans toward the flames. Through the spiraling smoke green eyes watch as the brunette slides into her spot and lifts the glass of red wine to her lips; as she sits the glass back down Regina licks the remnants of alcohol from her lips and Emma can't help but clench her teeth together at the familiar feeling of shivers running through her nerve endings.

"Would you like some?" The dark woman asks around her wine glass and the blonde nearly squeaks until she realizes what was meant by the question.

"Um…no…do you have anything else?" Emma notices that her voice has raised an octave and she clears her throat.

"I didn't have you pegged as the type to indulge in finer pleasures," Regina smirks condescendingly as her eyes sparkle wildly, "there's beer in that cooler."

"Well, well, the Evil Queen likes beer," the blonde scoffs as she stands and follows the other woman's gesturing finger, "who would have thought?"

Crossing the clearing, Emma leans down and lifts the cover of the cooler and plucks a bottle of beer from the half-melted ice. The cold water that runs over her hand seems to calm the blonde's raging hormones, and she takes a gulping breath as she twists off the cap. Lifting the bottle to her lips, Emma walks back over to where she was sitting and unceremoniously distributes her weight onto the log. As the alcohol courses down her throat and warms her stomach, the blonde finally pulls the drink from her mouth and levels her head. Once her face is tilted back into its normal position Emma notices the brunette gazing at her with a strange, curious expression pressed against her glowing countenance. The fire illuminates Regina's face and enhances the chiseled features and the remarkable beauty that lays there—but for once the blonde isn't acknowledging how attractive the other woman is, she's noticing the sadness that clings within her dark, black eyes like a veil of despair. As she maintains eye contact, Emma sees the brunette open and close her mouth as though she is going to say something, and before words actually tumble from her the blonde already knows what she is going to ask.

"How…" Regina starts but her voice breaks and she grimaces as she takes another sip from her wine, "…how is he?"

"He's doing great…" Emma says easily as she smiles at the thought of Henry, but her heart droops as the brunette's mouth falls into a frown.

"Does he—" but the dark woman stops herself before she can finish and simply shakes her head as if to erase the fact that she had said anything at all.

"Henry does miss you, Regina…" the blonde says softly, as she remembers the boy—only a day or so ago—mumble about how his _mother_ would have known what to do. "…he just doesn't want to accept the fact—he's a stubborn kid."

"I love him—I do!" Regina whispers passionately as she grips her glass more tightly. "But he doesn't believe me…"

It was now, through the flames of the fire, that Emma saw the brunette—truly saw her for the first time. She wasn't a dark figure fully consumed by evil or devilish ways, no, Regina was simply a woman who had been wronged, terribly wronged and had no one to rely on in her time of need and had inevitably taken matters into her own disastrous hands. As the truth sinks into her heart, green eyes gaze in sympathy as the brunette lets her mask fall away and tears tumble from her eyes and onto her cheeks in hot streaks of pain and desperation. All Regina had ever truly wanted was someone to love, and to love her in return—and with this thought in mind the blonde feels her body stand of its own accord and drag her to the other side of the fire. Cautiously, Emma kneels down in front of the brunette and takes the glass of wine from her shaking hands and replaces it with her own palms; holding them between her fingers as she smoothes her thumb over the soft skin. Regina fights against the blonde for only a moment and then submits as she leans her head against Emma's shoulder; sobbing into golden hair with a wealth of emotion that the brunette wasn't aware that she owned.

"I believe you…" the blonde whispers with a truth that rattles inside of her.

Tears of empathy flicker behind Emma's eyes as she lets go of Regina's hands and slides her arms around the thin waist. The dark woman shakes within the blonde's embrace and she digs her fingers into Emma's back deeply as if she doesn't have the capacity of strength to let the woman go. Running her fingers through the dark hair, the blonde rocks them back and forth gently as a way to soothe Regina's breaking heart. On instinct alone, Emma presses her lips to the crown of the brunette's head and kisses her tenderly, as if to say that, regardless of their past, she's there for Regina if she is willing to acknowledge that she can't always solve her problems alone.

A soft gasp rushes from the brunette's lips and against the blonde's ear as she feels Emma's mouth on her. Pulling away slowly from the blonde, Regina takes in a couple of shaking breaths as she looks into the green, glistening eyes before her. Giving the brunette a watery smile, Emma lifts a hand and brushes the tears from stained cheeks. As the fingers burn across her skin, Regina shivers and her heart sputters as it beats faster within her chest. It is in this moment when the brunette realizes that this has been what she's longed for, what she has been waiting for all of these years: happiness—this is what being happy feels like. Swallowing, Regina's eyes flicker down to the blonde's lips and she feels her nerve endings coil in delicious anticipation. As she chances one last glance into Emma's eyes, the dark woman surges herself forward and eliminates the small amount of space that has separated them. When their mouths first touch, Regina sighs and falls deeper into the comforting mouth as the blonde gasps in shock. Although the idea of the dark haired woman kissing her is baffling, Emma doesn't pull away; she couldn't have been able to pull away even if she had tried—the blonde had been subconsciously waiting for this since the first moment her eyes met the brunette's.

Their lips play over one another tentatively at first, but after the first few seconds flutter by Regina finds herself licking and biting against the blonde's bottom lip; begging and pleading for entrance. As Emma opens her mouth and feels the warm tongue caress her own she knows that after the terrible life she's had this is where she was meant to be; enduring the sadness and pain all of these years were worth it in the end. The brunette's body pressed against her own feels like home and now that the blonde has found it she wouldn't give it up for the world. But, as the sensations that thunder within her quiet her thoughts, Emma merely lets the warmth overtake her as her brain short-circuits into silence.

Breaking away, breathless, the blonde licks her lips and tastes Regina, nearly swooning as she resettles her knees in the grass. The brunette's mouth is crimson and swollen from the passion of their kiss and her eyes are glassy and dark with the carnal images that flash within her head. Raking her fingers down Emma's leather covered chest, the dark woman slides the jacket off the blonde's shoulders and watches absently as it falls to the ground. Shuddering as cold fingers run up the length of her arms, Emma lets her hands fall to the brunette's lap, her palms grazing across the bare skin of Regina's knees. As the questing fingers sneak beneath the material of her dark blue dress, the brunette lets her head fall backward as she lets an uneven breath tumble from her mouth. Before her body can stable itself, Regina feels the blonde's hands wrap around her thighs and pull her from the log and onto the grass. When her spine falls against the moist ground, the brunette moans loudly as Emma climbs on top of her, straddling her hips.

Running her palms over toned arms, the blonde lifts them above Regina's head and pins them down as she leans forward. Emma's lips descend upon the brunette's neck as they nip and suck at the delicate flesh that lays there. Feeling Regina's pulse quicken beneath her mouth makes moisture gather between the blonde's legs and she growls as she bites down on the skin. Arching her back off of the grass, Regina presses herself more firmly against the blonde's touch, biting her lip as one of Emma's hands slither down her body and beneath the hem of her dress. As the heated fingers ghost up her thigh, the brunette sucks in a deep breath and release it in a shuddering groan as Emma's hand cups her sex, pressing against the wanton flesh forcefully.

"Emma…" Regina sighs, and the blonde's eyes flutter closed at the way her first name sounds on the woman's lips, "…I've always needed this."

"Needed what?" Emma murmurs as her other hand brushes up the brunette's thigh to the elastic edge of panties.

"You…"

As the whimpered confession bursts from Regina and into the night air, the blonde's breath hitches in her lungs as she pulls the material down long legs and off of the brunette's body. Shaking arms wrap around her neck, and Emma feels herself pulled forward until her mouth crashes against Regina's hungrily. Teeth and tongues duel while lips suck and kiss in a frenzy of lust and longing; both women are lost by the way the other consumes them. After a slowly drawn out moment, the blonde ends the kiss by pulling on Regina's bottom lip with her teeth playfully. Groaning in satisfaction, the brunette's body writhes in pleasure as Emma's fingers lazily caress up the length of smooth thighs. Teasingly, the blonde grazes her fingertips over the wet, heated flesh and watches with dark green eyes as the body beneath her shivers and shakes with wanting. Unable to control herself, Regina thrusts her hips up hoping, and aching to be rewarded with a more firm touch and cries out shrilly when two digits slide inside of her.

Taking the initiative, Emma pumps her fingers in and out of the tight center quickly as her thumb twitches across a swollen bundle of nerves. As she licks up the column of Regina's throat, the blonde marvels at how perfectly she fits inside of her lover—_perfect_. While the word thuds in every beat of her heart, Emma feels two hands fall to the waistband of her jeans and she shivers as the nimble fingers unbutton them. Reaching a hand within the tight confines, the brunette's brain nearly explodes at the delicious feeling of her fingers pressed against the blonde's most intimate of regions. The only thought that she can discern within her mind is that she needs—_craves_—to feel more.

Using all of the strength she can muster, Regina rolls them over so that she is now looking down at the other woman. Smiling deviously, the brunette pulls Emma's hands away from her and gracefully shimmies her way down the lithe frame. As she goes, Regina tugs jeans and underwear after her, and soon enough the blonde lays before her with her feet planted on the ground and her knees bumped up together. Reaching forward, the brunette bites her bottom lip in anticipation as she gently parts Emma's thighs. Gasping at the sensation of cool air brushing against her heated center, the blonde rips at the moist grass with her fingernails as Regina lowers her head to drink in the effect she's had on the shaking woman. Looking up at Emma, the brunette snakes out her tongue and tastes her lover for the first time, a hum of pleasure rippling through her chest as the wondrous flavor consumes her mouth. The blonde's eyes widen as they make contact with glittering black orbs and she can't stop her hips from thrusting up frantically at the feeling of Regina's lips sucking on her clit.

"Jesus, Regina!" Emma cries out as a single finger probes her entrance enticingly.

Unable to sustain anymore, the blonde sits up and pulls Regina up against her, claiming the full mouth with her own lips. The taste of herself on the brunette's tongue is enough to push Emma over the edge, but she forces her body to slow down as she presses a thigh between her lover's legs. Regina moans into the blonde's open mouth as she grinds her body against the delicious sensations that the skin beneath her is evoking. As the brunette feels her orgasm building within her—the pleasure burning through her veins like a never ending flame—she lets Emma guide her hand to the place where she needs her most. With reassuring force, the blonde presses her lover's fingers against her center and sucks in a quivering breath as they flutter inside of her.

Their bodies dance together in a sensual dance and it isn't long before both women are crying out in pleasure; their orgasms ripping through them simultaneously. Regina throws her head back as she screams, digging her nails deeply into the blonde's spine as she falls into the abyss of ecstasy. Panting and shaking, Emma wraps a hand behind the brunette's neck and brings their faces closer together until their sweat soaked foreheads press together. Their eyes gaze into one another and neither can look away as the last fleeting effects of their climaxes roll off of their spent bodies.

"I never knew…" the blonde whispers, but loses her words as Regina's hands tangle in her hair, "…I never knew this could happen."

"Neither did I…" the dark woman agrees as she brushes a lock of hair behind Emma's ear, "…but I can't help but believe that this is exactly what was supposed to happen."

"That we would end up…together…like this?" Emma questions cautiously, as she swallows her doubt. "…forever?"

"Yes…" Regina sighs as her lips curl into a soft smile, "…that you are exactly what I've been looking for all of these years."

"And what was that?"

"My white knight…" as if breathing for the first time, the brunette leans closer and presses her lips against Emma's in a tender kiss, "…my happy ending…"

* * *

**A/N: First of all, I just want to thank the beautiful Anon that sent me this awesome prompt! Aside from that I just want to explain how great it was to write this one up. It was difficult because I haven't really been "on the ball" lately when it comes to writing, but I'm definitely pleased (although it could definitely be better) with this piece. How I wish season two would open this way, haha...but, alas, I know it will never be. Anyway, let me know what you think by sending me a review; I always love hearing from all of you! :)**


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